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UAB acquires equipment in a variety of ways, detailed below.


Requisition

Equipment is purchased by initiating either an Oracle Purchase Order Requisition or a Payment Request Form. The Capital Equipment Purchase Form is required for every capital equipment purchase. Purchases that involve trade-ins also require a completed Equipment Disposition Form.

 

Capital Equipment Object Codes and Useful Lives

Sub Code
Equipment Type
Useful Life

8908051: Light Transportation Vehicles

Passenger Cars, Vans, Station Wagons, and Pickup Trucks with a total weight of less than one ton

4 Years

8908052: Heavy Work Vehicle

Heavy Trucks, Busses, Tow Trucks, Fork lifts, Tractors, Bulldozers, and Trailers with a total weight of 1 ton or more

8 - 10 Years

8908053: Computer Software

Computer Software costing $5,000 or more

3 Years

8908054: Computer Hardware

Personal Computers, Disk Drives, Color Monitors, Printers, Mainframe Computers, and other Computer Hardware costing $5,000 or more for the University and $2,000 or more for the Hospital

3 - 5 Years

8908059: Other Equipment

Scientific Equipment, Patient Care Equipment, Office Furniture, and any other Equipment that does not fit in the above categories costing $5,000 or more for the University and $2,000 or more for the Hospital

5 - 15 Years

Note: If the correct sub code is not known, please use sub code 8908059 (Other Equipment). Asset Management will correct the sub code if necessary.

 

Equipment Donated to UAB

When an individual or entity donates equipment to UAB, the individual receiving the equipment must notify the department's Accountable Equipment Officer (AEO). The AEO is responsible notifying, via email, both Asset Management (FA-ead@uab.edu) and the Gift Records Office (J.P. Berthold at berthold@uab.edu or gifts@uab.edu). Please include:

  • the donor's legal name,
  • description of the equipment donated,
  • the planned location of the equipment,
  • the UAB organizational unit to which the gift was made, and
  • department contact name, phone number, and email address.

Submit the following additional documentation to Asset Management:

  • a completed Equipment Disposition Form
  • a letter from the donor listing the equipment item(s) donated with a dollar value for each item (as estimated or appraised by the donor), and
  • any other documentation that would be helpful in recording the equipment.
 

Federal Surplus Property

Departments may obtain Federal Surplus Property through the Alabama State Agency for Surplus Property. A representative from the acquiring department must secure an official letter of authorization from the UAB Purchasing Department prior to going to the state surplus warehouse in Montgomery. The department should contact the UAB Purchasing Department purchasing@uab.edu or (205) 934-4515] for information on pursuing this method of equipment acquisition.

 

Transfer of Grant and Contract Equipment from another institution to UAB

When equipment is transferred to UAB in conjunction with the transfer of a grant or contract, Asset Management must be notified of the items that are received so they can be recorded in the Asset Management system. Complete an Equipment Disposition Form the description, serial number, current location, and department information. Attach any other pertinent documentation, and submit to Asset Management. The recipient department is solely responsible for notifying Asset Management of any equipment received by grant or contract transfer.

 

Lease and Lease/Purchase

Equipment meeting the equipment capitalization requirement under the capital lease review criteria will be recorded in the Sunflower Asset Management System as inventoried equipment. Contact the Controller’s Office (Ruvy Viljoen at rviljoen@uab.edu) for details on Capital Leases.

 

Purchase for Use at a Non-UAB Facility

Asset Management will review the Capital Equipment Purchase Form justification, with a Non-UAB Facility as a primary location, to determine if the purchase is permitted.

If approved, the equipment will remain the responsibility of the ordering department and will remain on the department's inventory until the equipment is sent to surplus or otherwise retired.

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